Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-09-01


The trouble grew out Of large banner
which the Wheeling Register had sus-
pended across the street in front of its
office in company with the elaborate
decorations in honor of the annual re-
union of the Army of West Virginia,
which has been in progress for the past
four days. The banner bore a mann
moth picture of President Cleveland
and the motto, "God bless the Presi-
dent, commander-in-ch chief of the army
and navy"
Last evening a telegram was sent
from the city to the Pittsburg Dispatch
describing the banner and intimating
that it had been hung out as an insult
to the G. A. R. and with view of pro-
ducing trouble.
At II o'clock two thousand veterans
arrived in the city from Plttsburg in a
high state of excitement over the tele-
gram. When the great parade started
over the route of march this following
had been spread broadcast throughout
many posts in the city and threats
were made to tear down the banner.
Finally it was resolved not to march
under it, and as the various posts came
up to the banner they turned aside and
filed along the gutter with trailing flags,
amid cheers from sympathizers in the
crowd and spectators which filled the
street for squares in solid mass. The
lodging of the banner went on and
the excitement grew, as Democrats who
had heard of the trouble began to crowd
around the Register from other parts
of the city. r..
The last organization to approach the
banner was encampment No. l, of the
Union Veteran Legion of Pittsburg. 1t
came swinging up the street 300 strong,
headed by a band of forty pieces, flag
staffs erect, and went squarely under the
banner, the members raising their hats
in salute, while the Kisses Of the G. A.
r. men and their sympathizers filled
the air. They were at once drowned in
the cheers of the the Democrats, and
the vast throng seemed for moment to
be on the verge of a riot, but fortunate
ly none occurred, although many fierce
epithets were hurled about. Til.
| / Tonight the city is much excited, as
threats have been made to tear down
the banner. At a public meeting held
in front of the Mcclure house Governor
| Wilson of West Virginia and Governor
Foraker of Ohio became involved in a
discussion of the matter and a fierce
word war ensued, each governor max
ing stirring speeches. The excitement
| is intense,
WASHINGTON, D.. c., Aug. 28.-The
Evening Critic independently says: The
Grand Army men at Wheeling who
Yesterday refused to pass under por-
trait of President Cleveland suspended
across the street exhibited q narrow
minded and malicious spirit in which
it would be very difficult to detect a
trace of patriotism, and which, if we
are not worse mistaken than ever before
in political representation, they will
have serious cause to regret. Ifthe old
own volition, they should make haste
and amend such folly. If they were
acting under the instructions of Gov
ernor Foraker or Governor Beaver, or
any other rank partisan, they are to be
pitied for having fallen under such
baleful influences. 1t is certainly not
in this way that the Grand Army can
expect to commend itself to the respect
of the American people or to the favora-
BILE consideration of either party in Con-
gress. Such conduct not only belittles
the organization, but affects Indirectly,
we need not say injuriously, the interests
of all the old soldiers of the republic, es-
pecially those who are looking to the
government for further bounty. De-
pend upon it, no measures of relief will
ever get through Congress again in be-
half of men thus persistently indulge
in studied insults to the Presidnet of the
United States. It is not brave, but
cowardly; it is not sensible, but frivo-
lous; it is not decent, but contemplate;
it is not worthy of men who have borne
heroically the heats of the battle field,
but characteristic rather of camp fol-
lowers and mercenaries. It infiicts NO
harm upon the administration, but
wins for it increased confidence aud q
large measure of public sympathy.
WHEELING, w. VA, August 81
The stirring events of yesterday and
the dissension that took place last
night between Governor Willis Wilson
and Governor Foraker are still the only
topics discussed in any part of the city,
and the excitement is still at high
pitch. The action of the G. A. r. Posts
that refused to march under the Cleve-
land banner stretched across the street
by the Register is being denounced
more and more as the people come to
carefully consider the childishness Of
such action, while -.
GOVERNOR FoRAKER's RABID SPEECH
made at the monster meeting of the
Society of the Army of West Virginia
in the afternoon, is generally conceded
to have been the one thing that stirred
up the indecent performance in front
of the Mcclure House at night. II
would seem as though there must have
been some concert Of action in the
whole matter, and certain radical
bodies are suspected Of having been at
the bottom of the affair. Governor
Foraker began his address In d pleasant
conversational manner, saying num-
Der of very agreeable things that were
enjoyed both by the old soldiers and
others. Suddenly he stopped and said
that he scarcely knew what to talk
about. 1t was the cue-the bid for the
quick response that came from the sus-
pectrd quarter: 'eTell us about the
reble flags That was all he wanted.
J His face lighted up with smile and he